614              Irish monk Columbanus founds monastery of Bobbio in Italy where ancient African Vetus Latins Ur-texts still reside.

    622              The Hejira, Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina, begins Islamic era; first year in Muslim calendar, 1 A. H. = Anno Hegirae.

    622–624      Muhammad attempts to convert 10,000 Jews of Medina; disappointed, he changes direction of the qibla from

Jerusalem to Mecca; deports and annihilates the Jewish tribes of Arabia.

    625              Muhammad begins dictating Qur’an to scribe.

    628–646      Maximus the Confessor residing in Africa as refugee from Palestine due to Persian invasion, was tried, tortured, and died in exile in 662; writes on forced baptism at Carthage in 632.

    629              Muhammad captures Mecca.

    634              Teachings of Jacob (anon.) written after forced conversions in Carthage.

    643–656      Arab conquest of Cyrenaica; Arabs besiege Tripoli, lay waste to Sabratha, and invade eastern Fezzan; Caliphate of Uthman; canonical compilation of the Koran.

    646              African exarch Gregory declares himself Roman Emperor, although he remains in Africa; moves his capital to Sufetula (Sbeitla.)

    646              Victor becomes bishop of Carthage.

    647              Arab conquest of portions of the Maghreb; Gregory dies when defeated outside Sufetula.

c. 650              Thalassius of Libya, Abbat of monastery in Libyan desert, authored Maxims, befriends Maximus the Confessor.

    662              Death of Maximus Confessor, after the mutilation of his tongue and his right hand, the parts of his body with which he had opposed non-Chalcedonian Christology in his testimony in Africa.

    661–750      Ummayad caliphate; Muslims divide into Sunni (orthodox) and Shia, followers of the caliph Ali.

    669              Campaign of Okba, capture of Tripolitania and Byzacena; foundation of Arab city of Kairouan in Tunisia, a leading intellectual center for early Islamic law.

    680–681      Third Council of Constantinople, Sixth ecumenical Council, begun under Constantine IV, completed by the synod in Trullo (692) under Justinian II.

    695–698      Hassan captures Carthage; Arabs defeated by Al-Kahena, queen of the Aures; Carthage recaptured by Byzantines; Hassan retreats to Cyrenaica; Carthage is reconquered by Arabs who rule Ifriqiya.

    680–700      Monks of Africa flee to Gaul and Ireland amid Arab conquest through Africa.